I laughed at her. Even tipsy and wobbly on her heels, she could manage to get in a snobby jab. “Sorry to tell you honey, but a salad ain’t gonna sober you up.”
My words had the intended effect. Margot shrugged out of my hold and made an attempt to stand on her own. “I’m not your honey.”
“Believe me, I know. If you were my honey I would have fucked the uptight out of you a long time ago.”
As expected, she let out a shocked gasp, and put a few more feet between us. “I can’t believe you just said that!”
“Really? You think I’m a useless bum, but the word fuck is a step too far?” I snorted and shook my head. There was no point rehashing just how little she thought of me. “Cash or card?”
“Right.” She bent down and picked up her purse, which was empty, the lipstick, compact and money clip were all still on the bar floor. “Well, that’s not going to work.” She bent over again and her legs wobbled a second or two before they gave out completely.
“For fuck’s sake woman,” I growled and jumped over the bar to pick up the unsteady woman and set her in a booth so she wouldn’t hurt herself or my bar furniture. “Stay.”
“Don’t order me around like a dog,” she called after me, but I ignored her. “Hey, where are you going?”
I stopped at the door without turning to look at her. “I’ll be right back.”
“But where are you going?”
I pushed open the door that separated the bar from the kitchen and storage areas and stepped inside. Despite what princess high and mighty thought, grease was exactly what she needed to sober up enough to get her the hell out of my bar. Fifteen minutes later I returned with two plates piled high with food that paired perfectly with a night of drinking. “Eat up,” I ordered brusquely and sat across from her to dig into my short rib nachos.
“I am not going to eat this!”
I nodded. “You damn well are, at least if you don’t want a pounding headache, dry mouth and blotchy skin tomorrow. Hangovers are not fun after thirty.”
I knew the argument would sway, her but still Margot was a stubborn woman and she took her time, mulling over her options. Looking and feeling terrible tomorrow, or sharing a greasy bar meal with me. “Fine, but I am not eating the bun,” she announced and pointed at the burger.
“The bun is what will help soak up the alcohol.” I filled another nacho high with toppings and chewed it, nodding at her burger and fries. “You know if you added some exercise to your day you wouldn’t have to eat like a bird.”
She glared at me as I continued to eat, ignoring her anger mostly because I was used to it. Eventually she picked up the burger and put it to her lips. “My god that is wonderful!” She let out several erotic moans and groans as she ate and I was thankful the table covered the effect her sounds had on me. “Mmm, so good.” The words came out on a guttural growl that old me there was more beneath her prissy surface than she wanted the world to know.
I pushed the tall glass of water in her direction. “Drink.”
That stopped her from inhaling her food just long enough to glare at me and give me a piece of her mind. “Is that how you talk to all women, monosyllabic orders just barked at them?”
“Only the hard-headed ones who don’t listen. Water will help so you don’t feel like ass tomorrow.”
“Must you be so vulgar?”
“I don’t have to, but you get so bent out of shape about it that it’s just fun. And I don’t make fun of you for talking like you’re some etiquette teacher at an all-girls school in the Fifties. Do I?”
“It’s called manners,” she said primly, and wiped ketchup from the corner of her mouth as she eyed my nachos. “Do you mind if…can I taste your nachos?”
The fact that she even asked surprised me, but I nodded, and took my time finding the perfect chip to pile high with barbecue short ribs, sour cream, cheese and of course, jalapenos.
“Go on. Taste.”
Her breath hitched, and her violet eyes darkened with desire—for me or the food, I couldn’t tell—and she opened her mouth to accept my offering. I slid the chip in and her lush lips closed around it, her tongue swiped part of my thumb before I released the chip and sent a bolt of electricity straight through me. I watched as Margot closed her eyes and chewed, savored all the flavors of one of my best selling dishes.
“Good, right?”
She nodded, and one silver tendril fell loose and curled around her collarbone as she swallowed. “Wow, that is delicious! Really delicious.”